The present invention broadly relates to the art of firearms and, more particularly, to a firearm buttstock adapted for selective mounting of related accessories and components.
It will be appreciated that the present invention finds particular application in conjunction with firearms, such as ARMALITE AR15/M16 rifle series models and COLT CAR15/M4 carbine series models, and is shown and described herein with specific reference to these weapons. However, it is to be distinctly understood that the present invention has broader application, and is equally applicable for use on many other shoulder fired weapon of various types, makes and models. For example, the subject modular buttstock can also be used on FABRIQUE NATIONALE FAL, SIG 5-series and HECKLER & KOCH G-series rifles, for example; AUTOMAT KALASHNIKOV 47/74, ROBINSON ARMS M96 and HECKLER & KOCH XM8 carbines, for example; and REMINGTON 870, MOSSBERG 500 and BENELLI M3 SUPER 90 shotguns, for example. Accordingly, the subject disclosure and reference to ARMALITE and COLT models is not to be in anyway construed as a limitation of the present invention to such specific applications.
From the early days of firearm history, shoulder-fired small arms have had the ability to store items in small compartments, usually located in the firearm's buttstock. From the earliest accounts, dating back hundreds of years to the use of matchlock, flintlock and related firearms, the buttstock of firearms have included a compartment to house various items, such as fuses, flints, percussion caps, and patches, to aid the user in being prepared. The intent was for the firearm to function as closely to a self-contained unit as possible. This lowered the chances of the shooter being caught off guard and without vital firing components.
With the progress of the last two hundred years or so, modern firearm technology has reduced the need for a compartment to house firing components. More modern firearms typically use a similar compartment to aid in the care of firearms with components, such as firearm cleaning kits, typically being stored therein.
For example, shoulder-fired weapons, such as the MAUSER bolt-action systems of the late 1800s to present and the AUTOMAT KALASHNIKOV, Model 1947 (also known as AK47), use the buttstock to carry some of the components to aid in fieldstripping and cleaning the firearm. These mentioned firearms also rely on an accessible area to house a bore-cleaning rod. Usually located under the firearm's barrel, within the foregrip, the cleaning rod (usually in a similar length to the firearm's barrel) is unobtrusive, but easily accessible, to aid in the firearm's cleaning or to dislodge a stuck cartridge casing that failed to extract under normal means.
On some modern shoulder-mounted firearms, the cleaning components are located at the rear portion of the buttstock just under the buttplate. Access to these components is obtained by removing the buttplate (by use of a latch system) or through an access door located on the buttplate. However, within the last few decades, most modern shoulder-fired weapons have eliminated the firearm's capability to house a cleaning kit or cleaning rod. As mentioned above, however, some firearms do feature a compartment for accessing a cleaning kit or related tools and components. This is often dependent upon the country of origin and the particular use of the firearm.
Currently, the United States government and other western countries use a variation of the ARMALITE Rifle, model number 15 (also known as the AR15). In the United States inventory, the improved version of the AR15 is the U.S. rifle Model No. 16 (known as M16). Also used in the United States inventory is a firearm utilizing the AR15 characteristics, but in a shorter form. This carbine is known as the U.S. carbine Model No. 4 (also known as the M4).
Even though the M16 and M4 are exact in function and somewhat compatible for parts interchangeability, they both differ in storage capability. The M16 features a trap door located in the buttstock, which accesses a small compartment for the rifle's cleaning kit. The M4 carbine does not offer such a compartment because of its size and multiple uses. The M4 has a smaller buttstock, which is collapsible to aid in making the firearm's overall length smaller.
This design was carried over originally from the early COLT Automatic Rifle Model No. 15 (also known as the CAR15). Making the firearm smaller is beneficial to help the shooter move safely and comfortably in confined areas or egress from a tight opening, such as an aircraft or a vehicle doorway. The M4 buttstock is not only collapsible, but also includes various intermediate extended positions providing for an adjustable overall length of the firearm.
The M4's buttstock telescopes along the carbine's receiver extension, which protrudes from the rear of the carbine. The M4 buttstock has the ability to lock onto the receiver extension in multiple positions providing the adjustable length. This aids various sized shooters by helping to better fit the firearm and/or assist in shoulder mounting the firearm over top of web/combat gear that the shooter might be wearing.
The M4 collapsible stock is in some cases considered to be too short, even with it fully extended outward. Also, the stock is sometimes found to be uncomfortable against the face of the shooter when the same is placed against the cheek weld. This is at least partly because of the uneven surfaces and sharp edges throughout the top surfaces of the buttstock.
Current military buttstocks, in both the rifle and carbine configurations, usually are of a basic design. The manufacturers and buyers of firearms typically require very little from the buttstock design. As such, other than comfort and strength, the buttstock has-few other requirements. Since the development of the earliest shoulder-fired firearms, the buttstock has simply been there for support in aiming the weapon, to transfer recoil action from the weapon to the shoulder of the shooter, and to aid in the comfort of the shooter.
During the early days of firearm development, the goal was to get a projectile from point “A” (the firearm muzzle) to point “B” (the target) the most accurate way possible. In the last twenty years, modern firearms are forced into new and unexpected roles. This is true, especially for the military and law enforcement market. Unfortunately, the roles change depending on mission requirements. So, the modern combat firearms have become a mounting platform for a variety of accessories. For example, a number of companies have developed mounting platforms that can be added to existing firearms or developed an integral mounting surface into the firearm's construction. These mounting platforms are usually located near the muzzle end of the firearm. This mentioned mounting platform is usually located on or around the firearm's barrel and has the ability to mount a number of accessories, such as lighting systems, night vision hardware, thermal imaging systems, surveillance equipment and hardware to aid the user in achieving the best accuracy possible.
With the array of items being mounted to the firearm, a number of things occur. First, the area for placement of this mounting hardware is limited. Second, by mounting the hardware in the forward portion of the firearm, the muzzle gets uncomfortably heavy. Excess muzzle weight leads to difficult target acquisition. Third, the mounted components can in some cases need supplies to maintain reliable function. Fourth, the mounted component can be too large or complex to mount solely to the muzzle end of the firearm. So, the component may need to be dispersed throughout the firearm balancing the firearm's overall weight. As such, it is desirable to develop a buttstock having the flexibility to mount additional accessories and provide mounting arrangement for future use.
One example of a modern buttstock that is known to have provisions for storing cylindrical objects, such as batteries, for example, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,172 to Armstrong. This buttstock has an elongated central cavity and is supported on a firearm along that central cavity in a typical manner. The buttstock also includes an open-ended passage extending longitudinally along each side of the buttstock parallel with the central cavity. An elongated tube is received in each of the passages and forms a sliding fit therewith. The tubes each have one closed end and one open end. An end cap is used to seal the open end of each tube and thereby form a sealed cavity for storage purposes.
Such buttstocks, however, suffer from a number of shortcomings and disadvantages that limit the utility of the same. One disadvantage is that the passages that house the tubes are integrally formed on the buttstock. As a result, the buttstock includes provisions for two tubes even in cases in which it is desired to use only one tube. As such, the exterior profile of the buttstock cannot be adapted or changed as mission requirements or personal preference dictate. Another disadvantage is that the tubes comprise additional equipment components that must be accounted for so that the device is functional in the first instance, and that must be properly secured to minimize the chance of the tubes being lost or producing a rattle or other noise. As such, it is also desirable to develop a buttstock in which as many components as possible are secured to the buttstock frame to minimize the risk of loss while providing maximum mounting flexibility.